Gold success for Loughborough duo at championships
TWO competitors from Loughborough Karate Academy struck gold at the third East Midlands Open Championships.
Karate is now an Olympic sport for Tokyo 2020 and this has provided a surge of interest with 11 clubs from around the country entered the event with clubs from as far afield as London and Ripon.
Hazim Yusof, a complete beginner and in only his first tournament, took gold in the senior novice kata (form), bronze in the intermediate kata plus a bronze in the senior intermediate graded kumite (Sparring).
Rafidah Rosli a black belt dan grade from Brunei had a great day winning gold and silver medals in the blue ribband events of senior female kumite and senior female kata respectively putting in some spirited performances to claim the kumite gold.
Loughborough, with only two competitors, came a creditable seventh in the medals table behind Loughborough based Simon Coope Karate School in third and the victorous Elite Karate Academy from London as 2017 club champions.
Officials from Loughborough included Phil Holding (5th dan), Tracey Archer (4th dan), John Wynd (3rd dan), Bob Cavanagh (2nd dan) and Gary Hoyle (6th dan) Chief Referee.
• Loughborough Karate Academy will be running a beginner’s course and grading at a brand-new venue of Charnwood College and Tesco Shelthorpe starting on Thursday January 11 for anyone interested in learning both traditional and Olympic-style competition karate. For further information call Gary on 07742587326.